Bille (Italian) fingering?

[robobass]

I'm cross-posting this also to "Orchestral Technique"
My question is: Does anyone anywhere still use the 1-3-4 fingering system? A new student came to me today who had learned this way. He said he got it from a reputable jazz teacher but who was mainly a slab-basser. I told him that this system died out like 50+ years ago, and his former teacher was likely self taught from Bille books. I have never, ever seen this system in use, and personally find it quite inferior to Simandl. Am I wrong? Do people still play this way?
Robobass

[jisbass]

I believe Marco Panascia plays this way. I think he first learned DB in Italy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Hx0VfUbTw

I don't know much but I think many Italian players still use this method. I don't think it's inferior to any other method. Just different.

[jsbarber]

I think it is still the standard fingering in Italy. Check this out:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RS_uvJoMM4M&feature=related

Lot's of third fingers go'n down here.

Jim

[damonsmith]

I played a lot of the Billie Etudes 134 for a week or so. The intonation can be more stable but it is not quite as solid.

[robobass]

Originally Posted by jsbarber

I think it is still the standard fingering in Italy. Check this out:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RS_uvJoMM4M&feature=related

Lot's of third fingers go'n down here.

Jim

Wow! That's very cool. Well, I guess 1-3-4 is alive and well.
I stand corrected.
Robobass

[robobass]

Originally Posted by jisbass

I believe Marco Panascia plays this way. I think he first learned DB in Italy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Hx0VfUbTw

I don't know much but I think many Italian players still use this method. I don't think it's inferior to any other method. Just different.

He really slips seamlessly between 1-3-4 and 1-2-3-4, doesn't he? I'm feeling very old and reactionary right now. Everyone leave me alone!
Robobass

[Barcza]

In Italy this is the common method, I only saw Ron McLure play jazz with this fingering. I never undertsand why is it good, becouse anatomically absolutely not reasonable. Even so there are very good players play this way.

[nathanmcnathan]

I love 1-3-4... it feels no natural, and it lets you move quickly

[damonsmith]

Originally Posted by nathanmcnathan

I love 1-3-4... it feels no natural, and it lets you move quickly

Not in my experience. In my experience you actually trade facility for slightly better intonation in the lower positions.
Still, it is a legit system used by a lot of players.

[nathanmcnathan]

I think I might do this differently, but I use 1, 2&3, and either 4 by itself or 1&4 together for fingering in lower positions. I find it really comfortable, it just seems that the 3rd and 4th fingers naturally move together for me.

[tito mangialajo]

ciao, I'm italian and I've studied 20 years ago with a good teacher the Billè method (1-3-4). I've never had problem with this fingering but during the years I've studied by myself 1-2-4 and 1-2-3-4.
now I choose the fingering depending of what I have to play and of what I feel in the moment.
I think i'ts better to have more options.

[valeresperanza]

I think both 1-2-4 and 1-3-4 are valid. It's down to personal preference.
I personally use 1-3-4, up to the D on the G string, and then use 4 finger fingering (D/Eb/E/F with 1-2-3-4).
I started play URB when in Italy, but the teacher at the time gave me the 2 options.
Before I played URB, when playing 3 notes per string major scales on electric, I would use 1-3-4 (Despite another bass player telling me it's not proper technique and that if I was playing upright I would use 1-2-4!)
A good selling point for the 1-3-4 fingering is that the exercises in the Bille method are by far more musical than Simandl ones.